Musical instrument.



No. 653,52l. Patented July l0, I900. M. MDNTOYA.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

(Application file d Juno 6, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet W/TNESSES me "cams PETERS no. PNOTQLITHOH\msnmnron. n. I;

N0. 653,52l. Patented July I0. [900.

M MONTDYA MUSICAL msmum-zrn.

(Application filed June 6, 1899.)-

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

A TTOHNE YS WITNESSES UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

MANUEL MONTOYA, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 653,521, dated July 10,1900.

Application filed June 6, 1899. Serial No. 719,593. (No model.)

To add whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MANUEL MONTOYA, a citizen of the United States ofColombia, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan,in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Musical Instrument, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The invention relates to stringed musical instruments, particularlythose of the guitar and mandolin type, and has for its objects, first,to provide an improved construction of the body of the instrument, and,second, to provide an improved tailpiece for securing the strings.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction'andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the musical instrument constructed accordingto my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation thereof.Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of the body. Fig. at is a detail sectionalplan of a portion of the body. Fig. 5 is a plan of the tailpiece, andFig. 6 is an end view thereof.

The instrument com-prises the body A and the neck B, which carries thetuning-pegs G. The tuning-pegs and neck may be constructed in anywell-known or approved manner. The body A has anapproximately-horizontal top A, strengthened by transverse ribs A andprovided with the usual sound-hole A On said top rests the bridge D,which may be of the usual construction. The bottom A of the body iscurved both longitudinally and transversely, and between the bottom andtop is interposed a vertical Wall which I construct of two layers, theouter one of which, A consists of celluloid, while the inner one, A ismade of wood, the two layers to be glued together, so that they willvibrate in unison and not independently. Also with this con structionthe vertical wall will be strong and light.

To strengthen the body, I provide it with a neckpiece A having asuitable dovetailed groove A for connection with the neck B, and at theopposite end with a headpiece A".

These two pieces extend from the top A to the bottom A to engage both ofthem, and they are also in engagement with the vertical walls A A Theheadpiece A and the neckpiece A are connected by braces A extending atequal distances from the longitudinal axis of the instrumentand paralleltherewith, and said braces at their'central portions are reduced inthickness, while at their ends they are enlarged to substantially theheight of the headpiece A and the neckpiece A respectively. Thus thebraces A do not engage the top A and bottom at all or only just at thepoints where they connect with the headpiece A and the neckpiece A Thevibrations of the top and bottom are therefore not interfered with inthe least.

The strings E after passing over the bridge D are secured to thetailpiece F,which is made in the shape of a lyre and has at its frontend a series of notches F, through which the strings are adapted topass, also apertures F with notches F corresponding to the notches F, sothat the strings may be passed through said notches and securely held bythe projection F located between the notches F Upon the said tailpieceF, I secure a series of tuningtongues G, corresponding in number to thestrings of the instrument. Thus in a guitar I provide six tuning-tonguesG. These may be of the same kind as those employed in music-boxes; butany other suitable vibrating device may be employed. The tongues G maybe separated by strings I-I,Which also emhance the ornamental appearanceof the instrument. The tongues are so tuned as to give when sounded thenotes according to which the strings of the instrument ought to betuned. I may also secure upon the tailpiece an additional vibrator ortuning-tongue G to indicate the fundamental A.

To prevent the tongues from being picked or struck by accident, I mayextend over them a guard or shield, such as indicated by the letter G Itwill be understood that the vibrators G G are to be sounded with thefingers or with a pick, according to the nature of the instrument onwhich they are applied.

It will be seen that by my invention I provide a very strongconstruction of the body without interfering with its resonatingqualities, and at the same time I provide a ready means forabsolutely-correct tuning of the strings.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. A musical instrument, provided with a hollowbody comprising a top and bottom, and a peripheral wall connecting saidtop and bottom, said peripheral wall consisting of an outer layer ofcelluloid and an inner layer of wood glued together, substantially asshown and described.

2. A musical instrument, provided with a hollow body comprising a topand bottom, a peripheral wall connecting them, aheadpiece and aneckpiece at opposite sides of said peripheral wall, and bracesconnecting said headpiece and neckpiece and arranged out of contact withthe walls of the body, said braces being arranged at opposite sides ofthe longitudinal axis of the instrument and reduced in thickness attheir central portions, while at their ends they are extended upward anddownward to approximately the height of the headpiece and neckpiecerespectively, substantially as shown and described.

3. A musical instrument, provided with a tailpiece having at its frontend a series of notches for the passage of strings, and at the rear ofsaid notches a series of apertures with notches and projections betweenthem, substantially as shown and described.

4. A musical instrument, comprising a body having a vibrating wall orresonator consisting of a layer of wood and a layer of celluloid gluedtogether to vibrate in unison.

MANUEL MONTOYA.

Witnesses:

JOHN LOTKA, EVERARD BOLTON lVIARSI-IALL.

